Browsing by Author "Mithra, PP"
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Item Sputum collection and disposal among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in coastal South India(INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TUBERCULOSIS AND LUNG DISEASE, 2013) Rekha, T; Singh, P; Unnikrishnan, B; Mithra, PP; Kumar, N; Prasad, KDV; Raina, V; Papanna, MK; Kulkarni, VBACKGROUND: Safe sputum disposal practices minimise the spread of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). OBJECTIVES: To study the perceptions and practices of sputum disposal among PTB patients. METHODOLOGY: This study was conducted among 206 diagnosed sputum-positive TB patients registered in selected DOTS centres in Mangalore. RESULTS: Safe sputum disposal practice was followed by 50% of the subjects: it was higher among females (62%), patients of middle socio-economic status (75.5%) and those with a family history of TB (70%). Furthermore, 75% patients believed that TB was caused by several factors. CONCLUSIONS: High proportions of subjects were unaware about the causes of TB and did not practise safe disposal of sputum.